LandscapeAdvisor

A canker is a sunken, dead area on a branch, stem or trunk. It is a symptom like leaf spot, wilt or dieback, and it is caused by one or more disease causing agents. They attack tissue cells and cause decay.

Canker On The Trunk Of Japanese Maple

These disease causing agents are either fungi or bacteria.

Fungi reproduce by spores, and these spores are the main way a fungus spreads to new hosts. These spores will travel through the air. Once a fungal spore lands on a plant, it lies dormant until conditions are suitable for it to infect the plant. Moisture is a key ingredient for fungus to develop.  You’re probably also aware of this for turf fungi.

Many plant fungi can survive in the soil or on plant debris, whereas bacteria pretty much hangs out just on infected plant debris. This is why it’s good practice to clean up fallen leaves from infected plants and discard them in the trash.

The fungus or bacteria can enter the plant either through a “wound” or even through natural openings. One type of natural opening, and maybe you’re familiar with the term, would be stomata. These are the tiny openings on the underside of leaves. Continue reading…

If I were going to move to another country I would want to learn their language as soon as possible.  I would learn enough in the beginning to get by, and then gradually learn more to be able to express anything on my mind.

Plant information is a lot like a language.  From an artistic standpoint we use the different plant types, forms, textures and colors to create all kinds of compositions. There are architectural and period styles, even different feelings and moods we can communicate – just like with a language. All by arranging the right selection of plants.

From a practical standpoint we use plant information to solve problems in the landscape.  Just like we use a language to communicate a solution.

Plant Information Is A Cornerstone To Our Trade

A cornerstone is something that is basic, essential, indispensable, and the main foundation upon which something is constructed or developed.

Even if you’re a lawn care contractor a fundamental knowledge of plants will help your business. In fact, if you’re well-versed on turf you already have a good understanding of plant life in general. And although plants can be very different from one another, there’s also a lot they have in common.

No matter what your specialty within the industry, it’s all part of the landscape. Everything is integrated in one form or another.  Having an understanding at some “base level” on each of the parts of the landscape system makes you better at the particular thing you do.  For example, an irrigation contractor with some plant knowledge can more effectively design a sprinkler system than one who doesn’t.

For the landscape architect, designer and landscape contractor plant information is truly cornerstone. You simply can’t provide the best solutions for landscapes without plant knowledge. Period. A major portion of the work I do is “renovations”.  Some of these renovations are only a few years old.  The most common errors on these landscapes is the incorrect selection, arrangement and spacing of plant material. Continue reading…